Just Stuff

Bry woke up on Friday and these were the first words out of his almost 8 year old mouth: "Mom could you make me some coffee?".
No joke. I asked what on earth he would want coffee for and he said he was so tired he needed some cafine to help him wake up. First it was electronics and now our kids are passing us by in acquiring a taste for beverages. What's next?

Today I put water in a clear glass pitcher with some MINT from my herb garden to try to be fancy for our dinner guests. Tonight while I was cleaning the kitchen DJ came in and asked for a drink of water. She said, "Can I have some water but just without the PARSLEY". ...so much for being fancy!

Elle is just as funny as the other two but in a "you had to be there" kind of way. She doesn't say a lot of funny things but she is hilarious to watch. Like when she dances to a slow song and sways back and forth so slowly that she barely keeps her balance. Or when she sings "patty cake" and then laughs at herself because she knows she's being cute.

Cal and I are both trying to do a better job these days of just slowing down, reducing our commitments outside our home and making time to just be with our kids. We're getting better at listening to their (sometimes long) stories and descriptions of things that are special to them. We're savoring each day with them because we're realizing it just goes so fast. Our hope is that by listening to them and building trust now, they'll want to talk with us when they're teens and adults. Maybe we're (FINALLY) growing up a little bit. Thank goodness for grace!

Bry turns 8 in less than 2 weeks. Half way to driving! Where does it go?

Where Do I Begin?

I am going to attempt to describe what an amazing weekend I just experienced. I know for a fact I won't be able to fully describe the blessings that God delivered to me right from the palm of His mighty hand, but I will do my best. I will try to be descriptive but brief so I don't make this post 10 pages long.

WOW! Is there any way to describe the gift of friendship? I received a call a couple of months ago from my friend, Peggy. She invited me to go to see Beth Moore with her and a mutual friend. It was actually her husband Brad's idea. He said Caleb could come to Georgia and stay with him and the kids while the moms went on to Jacksonville for the LPM event. I told her I'd talk to Caleb about it and call her back. A few minutes later, she called me back instead and said, "I'm on Lifeway's website. There are still tickets available and if it's okay with you, I'm just going to buy you one for you..." How can you say no to that?

Brad and Peggy are a rare caliber of people. We were connected to them through our friend Kris, after his death. Knowing Kris like we did, should have given us some insight to the kind of people the Headleys are. They were dear to Kris which indicates they are special people. They have the same commitment to the Lord and same generosity towards others that Kris had. They made us feel so incredibly welcome in their home with an uncommon level of hospitality. The dads took great care of the kids while us moms were gone and the kids had a blast too. There was a lot of Wi playing going on, pizza was ordered and they even raked the whole yard on Saturday before we arrived back home again. We so appreciated our 2 husbands being brave enough to let us moms head South for 24+ hours while the dads cared for our 5 kids ranging from 12 years to 18 months! Since then, Brad has decided there's a fine line between courage and stupidity. Even still, the guys were so glad they gave us the gift of a weekend away to rejuvenate!

So off to Jacksonville we went. Peggy, Kalie and I went, which was great because we were all in small group for a Beth Moore study, "A Heart Like His" about 3 years ago. We checked into our hotel nice and early. Then we walked around the lovely downtown of Jacksonville, FL. I really like that beautiful city and it smells like coffee because the Maxwell House plant is right in the middle of it. We rode the monorail, walked along the river, checked out Jacksonville Landing and had an incredible dinner at a restaurant called BB's. Don't tell the kids, but we even splurged on an enormous dessert! As great as all that was, our day hadn't even hit it's peak yet.

We headed to the stadium where nearly 15,000 other women would find their way to in the next 2 hours. Yes, we did get there a couple of hours early because this wasn't our first time to go see Beth and we had learned about seating and we wanted good seats. "Good seats" is an understatement. We ended up about 10 seats away from Beth's seat when she was sitting and right near the stage. Travis Cottrel and his team were all around and it was just FUN! I don't think I could ever go back to sitting in the "nose bleeds", which I've done a few times. Beth was on it both Friday and Saturday! Wow! I felt like the entire session was hand picked for me. I have a feeling most of the women felt the same way. The whole thing was perfectly placed in my path for this season of my life. I can't even begin to describe the impact it had on me. It was huge!

We returned to Georgia where there were children and husbands who were clearly happy to see us! I love being missed! We grilled out and chilled for the evening. Sunday morning we woke up and headed to St.Simon's Island Community Church which is where we attended during our 5 months of living in that area. When we attended, it was a remarkable group of Christ followers. They were meeting in a very nice, converted (no pun intended) shopping/business park. Things have changed in the last 3 years! While the people and their focus on God has not changed, their location has! The new campus is seriously breathtaking. The church looked and felt like a resort inside and out! It was really amazing to see the fruit of their labor with our own eyes! The service was amazing too. This church is one of the most prayer-centered churches I've ever seen. Being on St. Simon's Island, it's congregation has a lot of very wealthy people in it. However, they are incredibly generous, not only with their money but with their lives. This church mission-focused. They're continually planning trips to not only poor, but dangerous places like Haiti, India, Asia, etc. They leave their amazing homes and give sacrificially, risking their own well-being all the while. What an example!

The time with the Headleys was steeped in generosity. Their girls gave our girls a toy set that they had outgrown (but still looked brand new) which included a My Little Pony castle, about 20-30 new ponies and many accessories. Brad sent us home with a case of MonaVie, a juice, which is probably the greatest "super food" known in the world today. This stuff is NOT CHEAP! It retails at $45 a bottle! They insisted that we go home with not 1, but 4 bottles! They have experienced such great things by consuming only 2-4 ounces a day. So, they wanted to share it so we could try it for ourselves. Have you ever heard of such unnecessary kindness? I want to give to others like that!

The trip home was quiet and a good chance for Caleb and I to reconnect after being so busy and apart for a short time. We got home early enough to eat sandwiches for dinner, bath time and our bedtime routine. I'm certain I will never forget this weekend as a gift!

I just found this recap on Beth's blog and my friend Peggy is actually on it!

Here are just a handful of pictures from our weekend. If the slideshow below doesn't work, click on the X in the upper RIGHT corner 2 times...

This Year's Easter

Our morning started early. At some point in the early a.m. hours, Delainey had made her way to our bed and fell back to sleep somewhere in the blankets. This isn't unusual for her. She reminds me of a little pet who can always find their way home. I'm always putting her back in her bed but by some magnetizing force, she is draw to our queen size. It was still dark out but I needed to finish a few things for our picnic and I needed to iron. Caleb made plans to fix us all a big breakfast. I heard Caleb say, "Jaim, we've gotta get up. I hit snooze a few times and I need to get breakfast started." Then I hear DJ's raspy & sleepy voice say, "The 3 year old wants cereal." I didn't even know she was awake. I laid there thinking, "Did she just refer to herself as 'the 3 year old'?".

A few moments later, the 7 seven year old who has a gift for sleeping in very late surprised us by bursting into the room. He said, "Come on let's get started! It's Easter!". DJ responds excitedly, "It's Easter! Does that mean I can have candy now?"

We had a great day and yes, there was some candy involved. First we let the kids find their hidden baskets, then we had a huge breakfast, scurried around to get ready for church. Next, it was off to church where we had a great service and then we stayed for the next service to help out in the kids' classrooms. Afterwards, we headed off to a nearby park for a picnic with two other families who are dear friends. We flew kites, played on the swings, blew bubbles, hunted for eggs and enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine. It was a perfect day for a picnic.

Tonight, I asked the kids what their favorite part of the day was. Bryant said it was finding his Easter basket and all the fun things in it. DJ said it was when she was sneaking candy from the bag of extras in my room earlier today. What?? Thanks for the honesty, DJ!

We had a great day. We're so thankful for friends here to spend special days with. We, of course, miss our families in Michigan, Minnesota and Arizona. We can't wait to see them all again. We miss them everyday, but especially on days like today.

We're hoping your day was filled with all the hope and celebration of our risen Lord this Easter!

Things Our Kids Have Said This Week:

Delainey, for some reason thinks the real name for a squirell is "dirty rascal". That is how she has always referred to them and until recently, didn't know they were actually called squirells. Caleb said this about a squirell while he was working in the yard: "That dirty rascal better get out of here or I'm going to eat it for dinner."
DJ replied: "You can't, they'll throw nuts in your mouth."

Bry's dinnertime prayer: "Dear God, thank You for this food.... my family, grandparents... And please help my knee to get better because there's pus and it really hurts and I don't want it to get infected anymore..." He continued on about his knee for a good couple of minutes. Finally came the "Amen". The thing that was so funny is how he went into "Napoleon Dynamite" mode and almost forgot that we were all listening to him describe to God (who already knows everything) just how bad off his knee was. It struck me as funny and I for one, no longer had an appetite after hearing about the pus and blood and the rest of the knee situation.

I was fixing DJ's hair and in order to keep her looking straight ahead I thought I'd buy myself a few seconds by asking her, "What's cooking in your oven?". Since there is a picture of a pie on the front, I thought that's what she'd say.
Instead, she replied, "shoes and horsies are cooking in that oven".
I was confused so after I finished putting her hair up, I opened the oven door. Sure enough, there were a few My Little Ponies and a pair of her shoes I'd been looking everywhere for. Who needs pie when you can have horses and shoes for dessert?

Yesterday we all climbed into the van to run an errand. We got in and I said "it smells like dog in here". The thing is, we don't have a dog. Bryant replied as serious as a heart attach, "Oh, it's Fudge." Fudge is Bryant's favorite stuffed dog that goes EVERYWHERE with him, even school. It's a WEBKINZ, which his teacher allows in the "daycare" at school. He was completely convinced the reason our van smelled like dog was because of Fudge, the stuffed animal. I didn't tell him it was because he and his little sister had been running around outside for hours and they smelled like stinky little puppies. Caleb and I winked at each other as we kept this little secret to ourselves.

DJ came running out of the bathroom last night and said in a panic, "Look!". She then lifted up her tongue and pointed under it. I asked what she was wanting me to look at. She said, "Look under my tongue". I said, "Honey I don't see anything." She explained that it looked like something was wrong because it was "purply and weird". I showed her under my tongue and explained that that was normal. She responded, "Oh, is that just how God made it?". She was relieved.

We got a letter in the mail from one of Caleb's favorite aunts today. She included a picture from her son, Ryan's recent wedding. Bryant looked at the picture and said under his breathe, "I didn't know they were old enough to get married." I thought this was so cute because Ryan is such a FUN cousin for our kids. His new gorgeous wife, Kristi is also a blast. Whenever we go to Michigan, they spend so much quality time with our little ones and our kids adore all their older, college-age cousins. I can see why Bryant thought they were kids too. He had no idea Ryan is no longer one of the high school kids, but in college and old enough to be a husband.

Today we went to The Mustard Seed and parked down wind of the dumpster. When we got out of the van, I mentioned that it smelled like "barf". Later, we returned to the car and I heard Delainey say, "Ah, it smells like MARF out here. Mommy, what is marf?"

Tonight during devotional time I heard Delainey as she was picking out which Bible story she wanted. She choose the creation story and this was her version of it, "God made all the plants and animals and took a lot of days and then He was very tired".

As for Elle, she only says one complete sentence, "I want that". However, she is really starting to communicate and say new words. One form of communication that I'm not really very excited about is that she is starting to scream and yell, "NO" when she's not happy. This isn't fun. But there are so many sweet things that she says like, "peas" (please), "shoe", "Hi there" "DAY"(Delainey) "By" (Bry). She also loves to give kisses, hugs and is starting to flirt by raising her shoulder to her chin while wrinkling up her nose. She doesn't have as many words as the other two but she still manages to make her point.

Here are some pictures from this week. If the slideshow below doesn't work, click on the X in the upper right corner 2 TIMES and it should start up:

The Rubber Meets the Road

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt. The kids were soaking up the sunshine today in front of our house with their new BFF's and neighbors. I was planting shrubs while they got loud enough to make every neighbor peek through their mini blinds at least once to see what the ruckus was. They got out the bikes, helmets, go-cart and big smiles. Everyone was happy until Bryant was tripped by the go-cart and his Croc hugged the asphalt too tightly, causing him to spill over. He ended up with a gash on his forehead (that bled like crazy), a skinned up knee and elbow. Delainey couldn't stand the blood dripping from his forehead and cried louder than him. She was 10 feet away from the accident but for some reason felt it was her fault. She sobbed, "I'm so sorry Bryant" about a dozen times and finally we told her she didn't need to be sorry because it wasn't her fault. Bryant cried loud enough and long enough for the entire neighborhood to know something was seriously wrong at our address. After his dad hooked him up with a mammoth sized butterfly bandage, Bryant was all smiles (and limps). You gotta love the drama in the Kesler house!

I'm from the "toughen up already" school of thought. Thankfully, Caleb was very warm and tender. He let Bry soak in self pity for most of the evening. I think when it was all said and done, Bryant was almost glad he fell. I think he'll pop out of bed in the morning, that is until he remembers to limp, and won't be able to get to school fast enough. He will probably show off his wounds and tell all about today's big event.

The Gang:

Elle trying to be part of the Gang:

Elle with after-nap hair:

Elle wanting her space:

DJ thinking she's one of the BIG kids:

The knee injury:

The tears:

More tears:

Playing it cool:

Elle demonstrating the importance of a safety helmet:

Nutrional Education

Bryant at dinner tonight: Mom, is coca-cola like a fruit... or something?

Me and Caleb in unison: No, it's not a fruit.

Bryant: Oh, it just tastes a little fruity.

Me: No, soda isn't healthy at all. This is cherry coke and you're tasting the artificial cherry flavor but even that isn't made from real fruit.

Bryant: Oh, that's why it's fruity.

I'm not really sure how to feel about that question. We very rarely have soda in our house but I can't help but think, when your 7 year-old asks if Coca-cola is a fruit, you may want to feed your children more fruit... just a thought.

3 Year Old Unsupervised With Camera

This is why I shouldn't leave my camera where DJ can reach it:

And just when I think my children couldn't possibly challenge me in any way they haven't already, they surprise me and act like perfect little angels. The moment is rare, savor it (I know I did):

Who Dunnit?

If you're looking for a great way to spend an evening and get some good healthy laughs, I highly recommend planning your own Murder Mystery party. I think it would have been so fun to be a fly on the wall to watch and hear all of us acting our little hearts out. I had the hardest time staying in character because it was so funny. Others, wouldn't break character for anything. The thing that impressed me most, besides the very well-thought out costumes, was the people who came prepared. One character for example, was a female escort (if you knew my friend Kathy, this would be HILARIOUS to you) and she came with a sequenced fanny pack "to hold her lipstick, cigarettes and her business cards". She passed out these business cards which read, "If you've got the money honey, I've got the time", to everyone at the party. I think she gave us all a healthy dose of laugh endorfins. I'm sure we all added a year to our lives with all the laughing that we did last night and will continue to do as we remember the great time we had. I know Caleb and I will never forget what a fabulous time we had at "Oakley's Mansion".

For a more well-rounded view of the evening please check out our friends' blogs:
Ted's video
Annie's Summary
The Diva's Account

This is my friend Tina who won best costume. You wouldn't know it but she is the mother of 3- one of which is a teenager:

For those of you who know the real Kathy (the one who has a basket on the front of her bicycle to take food to neighbors), this is hysterical:

Oakley and his faithful butler with the British accent who is from New Jersey???:

Me with some of my girls:

I love this group of people:

Funny girls!:

This is my friend Angela who won Best Actress. She stayed in character (to the point that it was a little frightening) as the Diva name Dalila. "Crack is wack!":

Breaking character for a quick kiss:

The Missippi female escort trying to get future business:

We had a blast last night at a Murder Mystery party with our small group. It was called Night at the Waskers, hosted by our friends The Magners. Everyone got so into their character and the costumes were incredible. It was more fun than I had even hoped for. What a fun group of people!

Gaining Weight, Thriving and Keeping Mommy Busy!

Just wanted to give an update on our little Elle-girl. About 3 months ago we had a rough doctor's appointment that left us concerned about Elle. She was under weight and her iron levels were low. Since then we've tried to bulk her up a bit and give her iron suppliments to help her get up to speed.
We had a doctor's appointment yesterday and found out she is doing well. She has gained 3 pounds since our last visit and her iron is at a very good level. I don't have to continue to give her iron drops in her oatmeal anymore.(Yay!) They will check her iron at her 18 month visit in May to be sure that her healthy levels are here to stay. Her height was in the 50% range and her weight in the 15%. The doctor said she's not concerned at all and that she'll probably just be tall and thin. Nothing to worry about.
She also says a ton of words like "Teeyoo" (Thank you), "Ommy" (Mommy), "Daddy" (of course she says that one perfect), "BAYbee" (Baby) and "Boo" (for peek-a-boo). She blows kisses and waves bye-bye. She also climbs on top of the table, which I'm not that happy about. Lastly, she has just learned to turn door knobs, making my job that much harder because it's not as easy to keep her out of clean rooms.
So thanks to everyone who has been praying for her. We appreciate it more than you know!

Standing Up for Bryant

Bryant asked in December if he could get baptized. We were a little surprised because this was not something that either Caleb or I had ever approached him about. We really wanted that to be his own decision and not something that we suggested or encouraged. We felt, especially at such a young age, it needed to be his very own desire and decision. He recently came to that decision and we were so thrilled that he did. One of the children in our small group was recently baptized and when Bry heard about it, he wanted to take that next step in his faith too.

The pastor asked all friends and family to stand in support of Bryant. I stood with others who love our boy and watched him from the congregation. I couldn't hold back the tears. He looked so small and young up there. Eight people were baptized in all on Sunday. At Riverbluff, the one getting baptized dips their finger into salt and then tastes it. Then the pastor says something like "just like that salt created a change in your mouth that you can't ignore, so will you make a change in the world." He also said, "Do you like salt on your french fries?"....."Well just like salt makes french fries taste better, you're going to make the world a better place." Then he lit a candle and sent Bryant out with the candle and told him he was the light of the world and told him to not let anyone put his light under a basket.

I know as Bryant grows, he will understand this decision more and more over the years. I truly believe though, that Bryant understands his commitment to follow Christ and live his life in a way that honors God, as much as a 7 year old boy can. It is something he genuinely desires and that to me is very humbling as a parent.

Thanks to all of you who stood up for Bryant on Sunday. Thanks also, to the many people who weren't there on Sunday because you live all over the U.S. but have stood up for him countless times in prayer. Please continue to lift Bryant up in prayer as he continues on his young walk of faith. Our hope for him (and his sisters) is that he will love the Lord with all his heart, mind, soul and strength and that he would love his neighbor as himself. We pray that God would unfold great plans for his life and use him in a mighty way.

Feel free to leave a comment for Bryant and we will be sure he sees them.

Pictures from Caleb's Past 10 Years- roughly

Happy Birthday Caleb!

Today is Caleb's 33rd birthday. In celebration of his life and the wonderful man he is, here are 33 things I love about my man:
1. He can always make me laugh. Caleb is great at getting me to crack a smile, especially when I don't feel like it. He will do whatever it takes to get me laughing, including acting like a complete goofball.
2. He's balanced. He keeps things in perspective like making time for fun and leisure but also taking care of responsibilities.
3. He loves our children so much. Parenting doesn't always come easy for Caleb and I but we are both committed to continually getting better at it because we love our little ones so very much. I can't imagine a better partner to raise children with.
4. He genuinely seeks God with his whole being. Caleb has developed such a love and a need for God's Word. He wants to spend time with God each day so that it will transform him day by day into the man God wants him to be. What an inspiration.
5. Caleb can take it. Caleb is remarkably good at taking feedback. He remains humble when praised and open when criticized. I have learned a lot about accepting feedback from Caleb's example.
6. He smells good. Caleb's things always smell good. I love when I use his car because his smell is there. His clothes always smell really nice- even the ones he's already worn. There's just something about "his" smell that is really clean and fresh and I love it.
7. He's not a mean fighter. Caleb and I don't argue very often, but when we do, he is the nicest fighter I've ever met. He usually says "sorry" first and is a peace maker. He's taught me a lot in this area too because I am not always nice and I can have a nasty sharp tongue.(not pretty)
8. Caleb takes me right where I'm at. I'm not sure why but I think Caleb actually prefers me in bummy clothes, with messy hair and no make-up. For those few of you who have seen me in this lowly state, you understand the mystery.
9. He enjoys the things I enjoy. While Caleb and I do have some different interests, we have many that are the same. We both love the outdoors, camping, and hiking. But he also isn't afraid to enjoy the arts; photography, plays, museums, etc. We really love to spend time together and appreciate the same things simple things in life.
10. He cares about his health. Early in our marriage, we both put on a good amount of weight- we were fat and happy. As romantic as that may be, it wasn't healthy. Since then, Caleb has gotten very serious about his weight and health and runs almost daily. A couple of years ago he even ran a full marathon and finished UNDER 4 hours! He inspires me to be more fit.
11. It is important for him to be on time. This is an area I struggle in but he has shown me the importance and I'm glad he cares about details like that.
12. His integrity. Caleb is big on doing the right thing. I don't have words to adequately express my appreciation for his integrity but it's huge.
13. He handles our budget. I did the budget for the first 6 years and now he does it. He's WAY better at it!
14. He supports me and all my crazy dreams and ambitions. He's the first one to tell me, "Go for it Jaim. I know you can do it."
15. He is a good friend. Not only to me, but to anyone he befriends. He has friends from elementary school that are still some of his best friends.
16. His family is my family. His brothers are my brothers and I'm just one of the gang. I love that.
17. He is good at so many things. Caleb can learn how to do things well really fast. He is a fast learner and great at passing tests. He can learn anything from juggling to getting his EMT certification relatively easily.
18. He loves my family. Caleb genuinely loves my family like his own. His relationship with my parents is incredible and he cares about my family in such an amazing way.
19. Caleb is a dreamer. He's not afraid to dream big and take risks. We've been through some big adventures mostly because he wasn't afraid to chase a dream or two.
20. Caleb values life and wants to live his as well as possible. This is contagious.
21. He didn't give up on me when I was 30 minutes late for our first date. I'll always love that about him.
22. He likes to give people the benefit of the doubt. Often I'm quick to assume ill intentions and Caleb is good at bringing me back to a point of considering others. He's not usually quick to judge.
23. He's level headed. He's not easily swayed by his emotions. This is very useful in a house with 3 girls!
24. He is an amazing husband. Caleb acts like I am the most beautiful woman in the world and has this amazing wealth of kindness and patience towards me. I just don't get it.
25. He has strong work ethic. Along with integrity, taking feedback well and wanting to always be on time, Caleb truly wants to do the best job possible. If he is lacking in any area, he really wants to know about it so he can work harder in that area.
26. He's not pretentious. He's the real deal. What you see is what you get.
27. He likes to get people out of a bad mood. Not sure why but he enjoys this little challenge.
28. He is thoughtful. Caleb puts thought into gifts and things he does. He'll often come home from the grocery store with flowers. Or he'll return from a trip with gifts for the kids. He's always thinking about us and his entire life shows me that.
29. He can have fun anywhere. We've been through some season where we've had very little money but I can't honestly say during any season we haven't had fun. Whether it's playing "Hangman" on paper napkins at our favorite coffee house or hiking the closest mountain, Caleb finds fun.
30. He's a great communicator. At least with me because I always understand where he's coming from and what he means. He's not afraid to open up and be real.
31. He is brave. Caleb has done some things in his lifetime that I never would want to do. He has big faith, which helps but he is not afraid to do some scary stuff, like hang off cliffs to recue someone, chase an armed bad guy in the forest, and that sort of thing.
32. He is tender. As rugged as he can be, he is also that gentle and kind. He's very sweet and not afraid to show emotion- even if it involves tears.
33. He is more than I ever hoped for. I absolutely love being in Caleb's company. He is so much fun but so real and sincere. I cannot possible imagine a better teammate to raise children with and commit my life whole life to. I feel blessed to get to grow old with this man, one birthday at a time.

Happy Birthday Caleb. I'm even more in love with you now than I was on your 23rd birthday. Can you believe we've been celebrating birthdays together for 10 years now? Best years of my life! Enjoy your day!
Jaim

My Bry

The meaning of the name Bryant is "Strong". The meaning of his middle name, Caleb is "Courageous". My prayer is that he grows into a strong and courageous man who loves his Lord with all that he's got.
It's not Bry's birthday or any special occasion but I really wanted to do a blog about my favorite boy. Maybe because it's a New Year, which always leads me to look back at how for we've come. I remember 8 years ago, I was well into my pregnancy and had no idea what our little guy would look like. It was the big Y2K and I didn't know what the new year held for me except that I would be holding our sweet child in the months to come. I didn't realize that my heart would be taken for such a ride when I signed up for motherhood. It has brought me to such heights and sometimes such excruciating pain. I didn't know I could love a tiny little bundle of life so much. I remember times of loving him so much that I would just hurt over it and sometimes even cry. Funny thing motherhood is.
For now, we'll just love him and lead him the best we can. Hopefully, he'll put that "strength" and "courage" to good work as his precious life unfolds.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you, wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Serious Disappointment

For the last week I've been planning on everything I wanted to do while in Arizona. I've been planning on giving my dad plenty of "Elle time" so he can get to know her a little better and spoil her by taking her outside and walking around teaching her things for hours. (that's what my dad is known for with the littlest grand babies) Caleb and I have talked about taking my dad's jeep out and watching the sunset (one of our favorite things to do) and all kinds of little things that mean a lot to us. Bry and DJ have been beside themselves with plans of fun times with Momo & Papa and running around their 5 acres, which is any kids' dream place. So I spent Wednesday and Thursday doing laundry and packing. In addition to clothes, I packed my nephews' and brothers' and sister's Christmas gifts. I couldn't wait to get to AZ.
My brother gave us buddy passes and I knew that their was a risk involved but since we checked everything out online in advance, I thought FOR SURE we'd get there on schedule. WRONGO! Not only did we not get there on time, we didn't get there at all. After being bumped from 5 different flights and none really looking good for the next couple of days, we gave up at Philadelphia and decided to come back home. I felt like a kid because I actually had to walk away from the customer service desk so the lady wouldn't see me cry. The hardest part was calling my dad to tell him. I was weepy for the rest of the day. Then I got home, fell into bed and napped for awhile. I was seriously sleep deprived and emotionally drained. Now I'm feeling a little better but I have to admit, I'm still really sad. I guess it just wasn't meant to be this time around.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

We have had such a great time preparing for and celebrating Christmas this year! Last year we had just closed on our house on Dec 8th and began moving in on the 9th, which left very little time to shop and decorate for Christmas. We've been anticipating the enjoyment of the Christmas season for a year now! So this year we really indulged in baking, hanging lights, wrapping gifts, listening to the songs and simply enjoying the season. Yesterday Caleb and I laughed hysterically at the line in Little Drummer Boy that says, "The ox and lamb kept time..." We both acted out parts as an ox or a lamb stomping our hooves, swinging our (immaginary) tail or baaaaa-ing in beat. Pretty funny stuff if you can get a visual of the two of us acting it out between lauging so hard we could barely breath!
Last night we attended our church's candlelight service. It was fun to dress the kids up in their Christmas clothes and go sing beautiful songs and take communion as we celebrated God's love for us. How significant those songs are when we consider that the God of the universe loved us enough to take on flesh and walk among us and ultimately die for us. It still amazes me and I hope that it never because mundane for us. Next we headed over to our good friends' house for a wonderful dinner, games and a lot of laughs.
Today we went to my cousin Deb's house and had a terrific time together! It was so great to just visit, eat and share the day together. On Friday, we plan to fly to AZ to see my family. I can hardly wait and I just want to pinch myself when I think about it. Sunday is my 31st birthday and I'm excited that I get to spend it with my parents! I absolutely LOVE this time of year and getting to go home to AZ makes it that much more special!

Thursday's 13 ~ Things About Our Kids

1. Out of our 3 children, only 1 of them can whistle. It's the 1 year old!
2. Delainey is starting to learn the names of letters and the sounds they make. She LOVES to "play school" and "do homework".
3. Tonight at the dinner table Bryant said "Come to Papa" to a sugar-snap pea he was getting ready to eat. Then he accidentally dropped it on the table and he dramatically said, "I just dropped my grandson!". (to him, Papa means grandfather- their interpretation of things is so funny!)
4. Elle has now added "yes" and "Momo" to her vocabulary!
5. Bryant is finally getting good at cleaning his own room and keeping things organized without me having to walk him through every step!!
6. I have yet to meet another kid who is the dominant one around Delainey. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
7. Bryant was honored to receive the Kiwanis "Terrific Kid" award this month!
8. Delainey recently informed us that she wants us to take her to the airport so she can get on an airplane and fly to Michigan ALONE! She stressed that she did not want us going to Granny & Pops house with her but that she'd be back home soon, as long as she got to go all by herself.
9. Elle has recently learned to walk and has progressed from a "Drunk Orangutan" to a "Sober Orangutan". It is so fun watching her motor around the house with this new found independence.
10. Delainey would rather help me in the kitchen than play with any toy in the world. This makes it difficult to get dishes done or dinner on the table but I am so honored that she loves to spend time with me that much!
11. Elle is finally putting on a little weight and seems much more energetic since we've started giving her iron drops!
12. Bryant just asked a couple of weeks ago if he could be baptized, which we are absolutely ecstatic about!
13. Our computer now is used more for things like barbie.com, lego.com, pbs.org and kid things than the normal stuff like finances and e-mail. I find myself competing with the kids for computer time.

There is never a day that goes by that they don't make us laugh out loud. We hope there is never a day that goes by where we don't realize just how incredibly blessed we are! The choice for me to stay at home with our children has financial sacrifices but I wouldn't trade all the money in the world for the memories I get to make with these precious little ones. I thank the Lord continuously for blessing me far beyond anything I could ever deserve!

Gradparents Rock!

We had the privilege in the last week of having both my mom and Caleb's parents come to visit. Not at the same time, but within 2 days of each other. This is truly the highlight of our kids' year- having grandparents visit. My dad, "Papa", wasn't able to come this time around but we're going to keep on him until he is able to break away from work and come see these kids who miss him like crazy. I know it must have nearly killed him to let my mom come without him. That's truly unselfish love!

When my mom was here we went downtown and mostly just spent quality time together. It was very refreshing for her to get away from her new restaurant and take a breather- but it was just as refreshing for me and Caleb. Time with Mom is always a treasure. And of course, the kids love having Momo in the house because she is such a tender, loving influence. They each get to share so many precious moments with her, like a tender cuddle session or a sweet song. She is a teacher at heart, always finding a life lesson in the simplest things. She imparts wisdom in their lives and I believe she prays a great deal for this legacy she and my dad have built. She is especially good at soothing and nurturing. Simply put, she just warms up a room. Delainey told her "We're going to hold on to your legs so you can't leave." Sadly, I did take her to the airport last Tuesday. I drove away with tears stinging my eyes because I knew I wouldn't get to see her again for a few months. But God has really blessed us with my older brother's job at USAirways so my parents fly for about $50 round-trip. At least I get to look forward to visits every few months. I can't wait until the next visit. Next time, WE WANT PAPA TOO!

We also took Caleb's parents downtown and enjoyed the beautifully decorated stores and buildings that really get me into the "Christmas spirit". We also spent a lot of time around the house- decorating for Christmas and baking. Caleb's parents are always so helpful with things like yard work. Caleb's dad likes to jump in and mow the lawn or whatever else he sees he could help in. He's been known to strip and re-wax a tiled floor in a day just to pass the time. He loves projects he can put his heart into. Since he loves us so much, anything that helps us, he puts his heart into. Caleb's mom is notoriously fun for the kids. She loves to read books, jump on the trampoline, sing songs, go to the movies and bake cookies. She does such a great job of spending time with the kids and making memories. The kids sing the songs she has taught them, months after a visit. Bryant sang "John Jacob Jingle-Heimer Schmitt" since he could first talk because his Granny taught it to him. There is no shortage of fun when Granny and Pops are in town! We also opened presents from Granny & Pops while they were here. Caleb's parents have bought probably more than 50% of our children's clothes and toys over the years. They are extremely generous to us and we appreciate the countless ways they give to us.

What an exciting month December is this year! Grandparents AND Christmas, what more could a kid want? Oh, I know, they want Papa too!
(I'll try to post pictures from these visits soon)

They keep us grinning

...the kids that is. They definitely keep us on our toes, but without a doubt, they give us a good laugh every single day. I say this often to friends who aren't sure if they want kids or who are getting ready to have a baby: "Parenting is the hardest job I've ever had but it is by far the most rewarding!"

Bry started 2nd grade this week at his new school and it's going very well. We are very pleased with his teacher. Our neighborhood was rezoned to a different school which at first seemed like one more unneeded change in his ever-changing world, but it has turned out to be a good thing. He bolts off the bus everyday with his wild blonde curls and a huge smile stretched across his tired face. After having him home all summer, by 2:00 I am missing that little Lego maniac!

On Wednesday, Bryant got off the bus and informed me, "The girl on the bus that was being a bully, she pinched my armpit! She said she knows where everyone lives and we can't get away from her. She also said she wants to get a nose ring, so she is DEFINITELY not the girl for me." Later I asked Bryant if he thought she was "the girl for him" before she mentioned her desire for the nasal decor. He replied, "No, but I'm pretty sure she thought I was the boy for her."

Just a little while ago I overheard Delainey having a pretend conversation on her Barbie cell phone. This is what I heard...
"Hi Casey, I'm sorry I missed your e-mail....unt-uh, no I haven't seen Dora..." It just cracks me up how she gets lost in her world of imagination. She's getting a little sassy lately, which isn't fun to deal with but my hope is that it will pass quickly. Overall, she's a delight. She is such a vibrant little thing and optimism is the biggest part of her thought process, which I love! Everyday is an adventure in the life of this 3 year old! What she lacks in size (often still in 18 month and 2T clothes!) she does more than make up for in her love for everyday life. The things we could learn from that kind of outlook!

It's hard to even picture Elle being sassy or anything but perfect at this point. But experience tells me I couldn't be further from reality if I buy into that train of thought. I'm sure by this time next year, she'll be picking fights with her older sibbling like the little chihuahua who picked on the big doberman. As much as I'd like to think differently, I'm certain she'll even talk back a time or two. As for now, we're enjoying the blissfulness of a sweet and precious little crawler who thinks her parents and her sibblings are the greatest people in the whole wide world.

We are immeasurably blessed!